Sunday, February 7, 2010

Treetop Flyer - Into La Paz

Days four and five of Katie's travels are wrought with some literal and figurative ups and downs. The flight out of Cusco was harrowing; apparently the logistics of the altitude necessitate some treetop flying before landing in La Paz. Safely in Bolivia now, she is staring out a huge windowed atrium, waiting to board her connecting flight to Cochabamba. Security took her knitting needles back in Cusco, but they have free wifi, so she can use her iPod touch for now.

From the sounds of it, Cusco was not a magical destination. Torrential downpours, coupled with getting lost and being on the receiving end of a long bumpy bus ride with a crying baby does not a fairy tale vacation make. She noted that apparently, with all the rain, multiple small towns have been obliterated by mudslides; "Everything is clay red with puddles" to paint a murky picture.

But, she was able to meet up with Nilda Callanaupa, who curates a textile museum in Cusco, and is a prominent author on the subject. I'm not sure of their discussion, but based on the fascinating work Ms. Callanaupa is doing, I'm sure it was interesting.

The photo at right is on the site linked above, I just couldn't resist not putting on the post. I'll be continuing to update news of her journey as she reports it, so check back periodically for new posts. Thanks for reading!